St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-07-27
Destroy the Splendid SeVen-StOry Pro-
vision Building and Do Much DAM
age to Other Property.
The Stocks of the Big Boston and Frank
lin Bazar Suffer Heavily From
Fire and Water.
Losses TO Buildings and Goods, 1t is Es-
timated, Will Reach Hall
Million Dollars.
A Morning Fire at Which Nine Firemen
Are Injured, None Of Them
Fatally, However.

flames at minneapolis IaSU evening. II
was one of the uglieSt and fieTceSt fires
the city ever knew, and burned for
three hours with a persistence that de-
fed the ablest efforts of the department,
supplemented by the most efficient fire
fighting apparatus known to modern
times. When the blaze was reduced at
midnight fine block was burned out
and two others badly damaged,
involving a total loss that
VIII not fall far short of half million
dollars. At o'clock a small blaze was
perceived in the seventh floor of the
Dorillus-MOrrisOn building,a fine seven
story structure on the corner of Wash
ingtOn and Second avenues south. The
department was on the spot in remark
%able short time, but the fire, which had
been smOuldering for some time. then
suddenly burst out in uncomfortable
fury, at the same time sending out
a dense smoke which paralyZed the fire
men and rendered the extension truck
useless. 1t was impossible to mount
the slate roof, and the only course left
was to fight the fire as it
BURNED DOWNWARD,
floor by floor. Powerful pipes sent
heavy streams of water through the up
per windows and held the flames in
check while the roof was burned out
and fell with a crash, carrying the fire to
the floor below. Story by story the blaze
crept down, leaving the walls standing
red hot above. About 10 o'clock the
south gable fell laundering upon the
Morse block adjoining, and moment
later the upper portion of the east wall
tOppled over upon the National hotel,
on the other side. The huge building
seemed trembling before its fall, and
the crowd was cleared from the sur
rounding avenues in anticipation of
that event. The fire swept steadily
downward, floor crashing upon floor,
sending up great clouds of sparks, which
fell like hail upon the surrounding
roofs and caused several incipient fires,
easily extinguished. The guests in the
National hotel adjoining on Washington
avenue were early aroused, and about
fifty in number vacated the
building, preventing the panic
which might afterwrd have occurred.
The fire had already communicated with
the rear of the hotel, but was repeatedly
fought out. The flames also attacked the
MOrrisnn building adjoining on Second
avenue, and before they could be extin-
guished considerable damage had been
done, while the stock contained therein
had been nearly
RUINED BY WATER.
The Morrison building was poorly
adapted to defense, and the fire ragged
steadily. Fortunately the elevators
were in front and accessible, and the
result was to keep the fire from them
and the lower floors until it had burned
away those above. The four upper
floors had burned entirely away and
everything below was deluged with
water, doing nearly as much
damage as the fire, and the flames
were finally stayed on the
third floor from the ground, where the
fire apparatus was more readily brought
into play. The engines were kept at
work most of the night, ard the streets
patrOlled to prevent injury iii case the
threatening walls should fall. The Nor
rison building was occupied by the Big
Boston Clothing company and the
Franklin BaZar, the former having
the first floor and the latter
the next above.
THE BOSTON STOCK
of clothing was estimated at 100000,
while L. Franklin estimated his stock
to be worth S12O.OOO. He had recently
turned over the management to William
Phillips, who was reducing the stock
preparatory to changing the styles.
The floors were utilized as follows:
Second, carpet and crockery: third,
hardware; fourth, parlor goods;
fifth, chamber suits: sixth,
wholesale mixed stock; seventh, ware
rooms and furnishing department. The
building was erected in 1888 and cost
about $50, 600. 1t was unOccupied until
after the burning of the Academy of
Music in December, 1854, when the Big
lOOSlOu lHONOO Ills I1olihAhl AOiAOhlhS
year later. The Morse building was
the property of Elisha Morse,
was five stories high and
of pressed brick. The lower
floor was occupied by the Big Boston
and the remainder was utilized by L..
PauIle IS show case and plate glass
factory. Haglin & Morse, builders, and
It Morse & Sons. loans and real estate,
also occupied the building. The
National hotel was built three years ago
bv Morse Bros, and was five stories
bigh, with front of dressed stone. J..
B. Anes IS tie present lessee.
TIE LOSS
upon the big Boston building is placed
at about SIS, 600 by Chief StetSon. This
amount may be larger, as at the present
writing it is impossible to tell how badly
the walls are damaged. The National
hotel building is damaged none to speak
of except slightly by water. The Morse
building, next to the Morrison building,
on Second avenue south. is badly dam
aged both by fire and water, and the
loss on the building alone will not be
far short Of $4,000. The stock of
+. A. Steele, of the Big Boston
clothing house, is almost total
loss by smoke and fire. 1t was insured
for s55.0OO. The stock Of Lesser
Franklin is total loss, that which was
not burned being damaged by dirty
water. Mr.. Franklin carried an insur-
ance Of $4,000. Everything in the